The recurring question

Oil, an opportunity for economic development or a curse for African countries? That question is the subject of a recent radio panel on RFI (Radio France Internationale). It’s a two-part feature, in French. One of the invited guests, Gerard Magrin, is a Chad specialist who has written about southern Chad’s transition from cotton fields to oil fields.

You can listen to the discussion here:

C’EST PAS DU VENT 1 14/11/2010 Débat Pétrole

(19:30)

Here’s a link to the second half of the discussion:
http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20101114-2-debat-le-petrole-opportunites-developpement-malediction-pays-africains

Speaking of farming, the subsistence farmers of Chad would have certainly benefited from an end to U.S. subsidies for American cotton farmers. Instead they got oil. That’s “development”. You can read more about how U.S. subsidies hurt African cotton growers in a recent Guardian article, “The Great Cotton Stitch-Up”.

One Response to “The recurring question”

  1. […] will be a blessing and not a curse. Promises are made, speeches are broadcast and then, usually, oil ends up being a curse – at least for those at the bottom rungs of society, the people who desperately need jobs and pin […]

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